Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Uasal Ó Corcora as an cur i láthair iontach atá déanta aige. Chuir na hiascairí cóip den doiciméid atá foilsithe acu ar aghaidh chugainn roimh ré fosta. Caithfidh me a rá go luíonn gach rud atá ráite ag an Uasal Ó Corcora le ciall agus le réasún. Go minic, ní raibh réasún nó ciall leis na polasaithe a cuireadh i bhfeidhm ón bhliain 1973 i dtaca le cúrsaí iascaireachta go háirithe. Tá na pobail cois cósta buailte le imirce. Tá daoine ag fágáil agus ag imeacht thar lear ag iarraidh obair a fháil. Tá mórchuid de na daoine óga ag fágáil na pobail éagsúla sin - na hoileáin amuigh ón gcósta, srl.

Cuireann sé iontas mór orm go bhfuil slad iontach déanta le 20 bliain anuas, ón am nuair a bhí - mar a dúirt an Uasal Ó Corcora - go leor báid ag dul amach ó na céanna agus na calafoirt ar maidin agus daoine orthu ag iascaireacht. Ag an am céanna, tá báid ó tíortha eile ag teacht isteach agus na héisc s'againne a ghabháil. Tá sé le feiceáil i ndeisceart na tíre go bhfuil báid ón Spáinn agus ón Fhrainc ag teacht isteach agus ag iascaireacht na héisc geal. Is é an réasún leis sin ná an dóigh ina bhfuil an córas cuótaí briste síos. Is scanall agus is náire é go bhfuil thart ar 95% de na cuótaí in uiscí na hÉireann ag dul go dtí báid ó na tíortha sin. Caithfidh an tír seo troid i gcoinne an ról soiléir atá ag an Aontas Eorpach sa chomhthéacs sin.

Is léir go bhfuil an tAire páirteach san obair ar an gComhbheartas Iascaireachta atá ag dul ar aghaidh. Níl a fhios agam an raibh deis ag Iascairí Intíre Cois Cladach na hÉireann cruinnithe a bheith acu leis an Aire roimh ré. Ar chuir an Roinn ceisteanna ar na hiascairí i dtaca leis na moltaí atá acu? Botún mór a bhí ann muna tharla sé sin. Ní tharlódh a leithéid i gcúrsaí feirmeoireachta dá mbeadh Aire ag dul amach chun ionadaíocht a dhéanamh thar ceann acmhainní nádúrtha na tíre seo. Ní bheadh aon chiall ann gan labhairt leis an tionscal ar tús. B'fhéidir go bhfuil tuairim ag an Uasal Ó Corcora faoin méid sin. Aontaím go huile agus go hiomlán le mórchuid den mhéid ata ráite aige.

Mar atá luaite i ndoiciméid na hiascairí, tá an tionscal intíre fíorthabhachtach. Tá tuairim is 4,500 duine ag obair sa tionscal faoi láthair, fiú leis an dóigh ina bhfuil an tionscal buailte. Tá a fhios acu siúd a bhfuil ag obair sa tionscal go bhfuil sé deacair go leor slí beatha a bhaint amach. It is very difficult to make a living in the industry to pay one's bills, cover one's mortgage costs, run one's car and put one's family through school and college. There are 4,500 people involved in it. Mr. Ó Corcora has identified some of the simple policy steps the State could take and which would not cost it one penny. It is a good idea to provide for regional management structures that would lead to a more localised decision-making process, or more localised input by fishermen in local regions. My understanding is that the fishing sector in different regions and different parts of the country is dealing with different issues. It is obvious that the whitefish issue is a major one in the southern region. As Mr. Ó Corcora has identified, salmon and lobster issues are arising in the northern region.

The ban on salmon fishing was a major blow to the inshore sector. It was obviously introduced by a Minister from my own party, Mr. Noel Dempsey, and was a fatal blow. The angling fraternity put huge pressure on the then Minister to consider the moneys that could be generated from angling tourism and there was documentation flying around everywhere in support of this. However, those moneys have not emerged. I accept that there was an issue at sea. Drift-netting may have been depleting salmon stocks, but there were other factors also. Mr. Ó Corcora has identified some of them, including the issue of seals waiting in bays and eating salmon as they come in and again on the way out. There were other issues relating to spawning grounds in rivers, poaching and pollution. Local authorities were playing a major part in the pollution of rivers. However, only one issue was dealt with - the banning of drift-netting. None of the other issues was dealt with, which was a mistake.

When Dr. Alyne Delaney appeared before the committee, she said there were 250,000 to 300,000 salmon in the north Atlantic and suggested salmon fishing could be sustainable if it were reopened on a pilot basis. I think Mr. Ó Corcora is highlighting that point about sustainability also. Other things such as a seal cull also have to be considered. I would be in favour of a seal cull around the coast. Obviously, Inland Fisheries Ireland is looking at rivers and spawning grounds and dealing with pollution control and poaching, etc. All of that needs to happen, but there also needs to be an opportunity. If that is not done, lobster stocks will become depleted. That is happening because too much pressure is being placed on one or two areas.

I am very keen for the committee to emphasise to the Minister that there is an alternative way of doing this. Those involved in Inland Fisheries Ireland which is responsible for salmon fishing might not agree. I have the highest regard for Dr. Ciaran Byrne, the chief executive officer of Inland Fisheries Ireland. We have to be able to show scientifically that this industry can operate again and some work may need to be done to show this. I suggest it be done on a pilot basis for three or five years, after which we can reflect on the matter. The salmon ban should have been introduced over two, three or four years, after which it should have been reviewed, but that is not what happened. A blanket ban was introduced, which was wrong. The rationale behind its introduction does not stand up. I certainly do not see thousands of tourist anglers coming to County Donegal to catch salmon in our rivers. Bed and breakfast accommodation, the hotels and restaurants are not seeing these tourists either. It was a false claim.

Mr. Ó Corcora has mentioned that a change will have to be made with regard to pot licensing. His document refers to the need to study the UK model. Is there anything there we should be considering? Are there recommendations we should be examining? Mr. Ó Corcora can respond to these questions when he is summing up. I am not familiar with what has been proposed in the United Kingdom, but he might be able to enlighten us.

I could go into much more detail on some of the recommendations made by Mr. Ó Corcora. I agree with the vast majority of what he said.

I agree with the points made about mackerel. The mackerel quota should not be divided exclusively among larger vessels. An element of the quota should be made available to the smaller inshore fleet. The same applies to the herring quota. There was a small allocation for the inshore sector but it needs to be ring-fenced in respect of mackerel and herring.

I have always said there is a need for added value processing in the fisheries sector. After leaving college, one of my first jobs was in the fisheries added value sector. There is massive opportunity to add value to fish products, as there is with seaweed harvesting. One gets €100 per tonne when seaweed is exported to China. If we add value to level 3, food grade, and level 2, at which ingredients can be used for facial beauty products, we can add up to €800 per tonne. It is a no-brainer to go down that road. The same applies to fish landed here. If we can add value and create jobs in the processing sector, that should be done. There is a need for the Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Department to do more. There is a need for more funding and tangible research and development. I know that BIM is doing work in that area but Government support must be provided so there is some incentive for someone with a small vessel to diversify and set up a small smokery or a plant. In the food sector, it is always difficult to come up with proper research and development to define what the market demands. There is a lot of research to be done. How does one break into the market and compete with Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Lidl and Aldi?

Labelling is a major issue. There is importation of stock into the country and fishermen are trying to compete with Canadian lobster. There is a need to look at labelling, which the committee has examined from the point of view of agriculture. We also need to examine it from the point of view of fisheries so that it is definitive. We had a conversation with representatives of Aldi and Lidl, where Irish processed food is sold. The ordinary punter buys the Irish processed food thinking it is authentically Irish, but it is not. When it comes in here, a package is put on it and that may be the only processing that takes place here. The fish may be caught in Norway but it is brought in here and sold with the Irish processed green label on it. We must work on this and there is a need for a statutory framework to protect the Irish sector and ensure the Irish product obtains the highest possible price for the fishermen, just like the farmer.

The presentation was one of the best we have received at the committee. It makes common sense and I hope we can reflect on it and implement some of the suggestions in our recommendations, which will go before the Department and the Minister.